Railroad-crossing.



WALK-BR, RAILROAD .GROSSIN G. ABPLIOA T ION'PILBD SEPT. 10, 1910.

987,779. v Patented ar, 28, 1911.

itnesss Inventor;

0 Attorneys 1 1m: "cams F's-mks cm, wssvmarou, n. c

UNTTE JAMES A. WALKER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RAILROAD-CROSSING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 28, 19111.

Application filed September 10, 1910. Serial No. 581,433.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, JAMns A. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Railroad-Crossing, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railroad crossings.

In the common form of railroad crossings in general use, there is a gap in the rails at the crossing which is equal in width to the flange of the car wheels plus the necessary clearance. This makes an objectionable break in the track-line as it allows the wheels to drop down slightly on one edge of the break and strike the other, and this results in damage to the crossing, is detrimental to the rolling stock, and causes discomfort to the passengers.

It is the object of the present invention in a novel, simple, and thoroughly practical manner, automatically to effect bridging of the gaps between the rails of the crossing by the passage of a train, whereby these parts of the track are caused to be as smooth run ning as the remaining portions thereof.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a railroad crossing, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a railroad crossing constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the crossing. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line X-X Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the plate or foundation of the crossing which is reinforced at the intersection of the rails by plates 2 which are firmly riveted to the foundation 1 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Firmly secured to the foundation are twelve track sections 3 which aline with complemental rails 3 as usual. Arranged between the spaced ends of the track sections 3 are the bridging devices 4:, which are of a length to work in the space in which they are disposed without contacting with the ends of the rails, and which are of a width approximating that of the tread of the rails. These bridging members are supported upon pedestals 11 that are carried by plate 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and held assembled therewith by squared headed countersunk bolts 9 that pass through the plates 1 and 2 and carry at their lower ends blocks 7 that are held assembled with the bolts by pins 10. As shown in Fig. 2, the blocks 7 are quadrangular in contour, and are held in their shifted positions by lea-f springs 8 the ends of which engage headed pins 12 secured to the plates 2. These springs have requisite end play on the pins 12 to allow sufiicient elasticity of the springs to permit the blocks freely to turn when the bridging members are struck by the wheel flange 5, as shown in Fig. 1, thus to insure the proper operation of the parts and the positive locking of the bridging members against accidental rota tion. The bridging members are always in line with the treads of the rail sections 3, and thus in position to be shifted to meet the requirements of the case.

The improvements herein described while simple in character, will be found thoroughly efiective for the purposes designed, and will coact in the presentation of a durable and thoroughly practical form of rail road crossing.

vVhat is claimed is:

1. In a railroad crossing, a plate having pedestals disposed between the abutting ends of the rails, bridge members supported by the pedestals, bolts passing through the bridge members, polygonal blocks carried by the lower ends of the bolts, and springs coacting with the blocks to hold the bridge members in alinement with the rails.

2. A railroad crossing comprising a foundation plate provided with pedestals disposed between the spaced ends of the rails, bridge members mounted upon the pedestals,

bolts passing through the bridge members and the pedestals, polygonal blocks carried by the lower ends of the bolts, and longitudinally yieldable springs coacting with the blocks to maintain the bridge members in alinement with the rails.

3. In a railroad crossing, a foundation plate, track sections secured thereto and running in two directions at right angles to each other, reinforcing plates arranged beneath the foundation plate at the intersection of the rails and firmly secured to the through the bridge members, pedestals and former pedestals carried by the foundation maintain the bridge members in alinement 10 plate and disposed between the spaced ends with the track sections.

of the rails, bridge members disposed upon In testimony that I claim the foregoing as the pedestals squared head bolts passlng my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

posts blocks secured to the lower ends of JAMES A. VALKER.

the bolts, and flat springs disposed on each Witnesses: side of the blocks and operating to lock the EDWARD R. WALKER, same against accidental turning, thus to M. C. BARTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Iatents, Washington, D. C. 

